After All These Years
by HipHuggersFan09
Summary: After an attempt on Eric’s life and a conversation with his niece, will Calleigh finally confront and express her true feelings for Eric? E/C pairing. R&R, Please. The more reviews the sooner more will be added. Takes place after 7.10 "The Deluca Motel".
1. The Elevator

**Title:** After All These Years  
**By:** Victoria (HipHuggersFan09)  
**Pairing:** Eric/Calleigh  
**Rating:** K+ (Maybe T in a few spots)  
**Time/Setting:** After 7.10 The Deluca Motel. What I REALLY wish would have happened.  
**Summary:** After an attempt on Eric's life and a conversation with his niece, will Calleigh finally confront (and express) her true feelings for Eric?  
**Disclaimer:** CSI: Miami and all of its characters belong to CBS, not me. However, if I did something would definitely have happened between Calleigh and Eric by now. The Characters of Emily (Eric's Niece in Chapter 4) and Sophia (Eric's Sister in Chapters 3, 4 & 8) are my own made up characters.

Chapter 1

(Back inside the Lab after Eric leaves after his conversation in the parking lot with Horatio.)

Calleigh grabbed her purse off of the back of her desk chair, picked up her keys, turned off the lights and made her way out of the lab locking the door behind her. It had been a very long day, one that she would much rather forget.

However, she couldn't help wonder about one all important detail. Why was Eric staying at a motel? She knew why he was staying there, but why a motel?

She trusted Eric with every fiber of her being; she always had, but even more so since her kidnapping more than a year earlier.

She knew that she could turn to Eric whenever she needed help. It made her sad to think that maybe, just maybe, Eric didn't trust her as much as she hoped he did.

Her thoughts were brought back to reality when she saw Ryan waiting for the elevator.

"See you tomorrow, Ryan. Hey, do you know if Eric left already? I wanted to talk to him." She asked adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder.

"You just missed him. He left about five minutes ago. Last I saw him he was talking to H in the parking lot." He said glancing down at his watch.

The elevator doors opened and Calleigh and Ryan both walked in. "What I don't understand is why a motel? He should have come to one of us." Ryan said concerned.

"I know." Calleigh said as the doors opened and she and Ryan went their separate ways. "That is what I intend to find out."

Comments, review and criticisms welcome. This is only my second FanFiction, so it may need some (ok, maybe a lot) of work. Enjoy! Keep reading! R&R. The more reviews I get, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	2. The Key

Chapter 2

Calleigh made her way out of the building and towards her car. She pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the Deluca Motel to talk to Eric.

She parked the car and made her way towards Eric's room and knocked softly on the door.

"Hey Calleigh!" Eric said with a smile, opening the door. "What's up?" Eric was surprised to see Calleigh standing in front of him. "Come in." He said, opening the door all the way and stepping out of her path.

"Eric, we need to talk." Her expression grew serious as she stepped through the door. "Ok. What's on your mind?" He asked still very surprised and confused.

"Eric, why are you staying here?" She asked sitting don across from him at the table in the corner of the room.

"Calleigh, I already told you." He said looking down at his hands clasped in front of him on the table.

"I know why you're not staying at your place," she said forcing a slight smile "But why a motel?" She said looking around the room.

It was a mess. She knew that Eric wasn't the neatest man in the world, but he deserved better than this.

"Eric, why didn't you say something? You deserve better than this. Why didn't you come to me? You've stayed at my place before, remember? It would have been ok?" She said reaching for his hands and looking him straight in the eyes. "I know I should have said something to you, but I just couldn't." He said looking back down for a second.

"Why?" Calleigh asked.

"Because, if my birth father could somehow find out that I was here, he could probably track me down and find me anywhere and if something happened to you, because of me, I'd never forgive myself."

He said releasing his hands from her grasp and running them through his hair. "I couldn't bear loosing you again." He said barely above a whisper, but Calleigh heard him.

"Eric, you know that I will always be there for you, no matter what." She said resting a hand on the curve of his elbow. "It would make me feel a lot better if you stayed with me. I can guarantee you, just by the look of it, that anything I could offer you is ten times more comfortable than that bed."

She said nodding towards the bed. "I don't care how much you protest," She said with a smile and a slight laugh. "You're staying with me, and that's final." She pulled a key out of her purse and put it on the table in front of Eric. "Ok." He said picking up the key with a smile.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	3. The Call

Chapter 3

Calleigh helped Eric pack up his things at the motel and they brought his belongings out to her car.

"Just to be safe we'll take my car and leave your car here, if that's alright." She said unlocking her car that was parked next to his.

"That's fine." He said sliding into the passenger seat. "I'd rather have something happen to mine than yours." he said with a smile as he looked around the car.

The inside of her car was spotless. Everything was in its proper place and the outside was just as clean.

Twenty minutes later Calleigh and Eric were standing at the front door of her condo, as she fished through her purse and pockets trying to find her house key.

Eric saw her frazzled look and reached into the pocket of his jeans pulling out the key Calleigh had given to him. "Here, use mine." He said handing her the key with a smile. Calleigh laughed and smiled as she took the key from his open hand.

She opened the door and walked straight through the living room and into the kitchen putting her purse on the table. "Make yourself at home. Can I get you anything? " Calleigh asked looking into the living room.

"No thanks. I'm fine." Eric said sitting down on the couch. Calleigh's condo hadn't changed much since the last time he had been there, more than ten years earlier.

A moment later he stood up and walked over to the mantle over the fireplace. He loved looking at old photos. He smiled when he saw some of Calleigh's most prized pictures; pictures of her family. Calleigh also had pictures of her with various friends, both lifelong friends and her colleagues.

His attention was quickly focused on the larger picture situated in between all the others. It was a picture of him and Calleigh. It was taken on the day that they became partners. He smiled as he picked up the picture, admiring it.

Calleigh walked into the living room carrying two mugs of coffee. She smiled as she realized exactly which picture it was that had caught Eric's attention. "That one's my favorite." Calleigh said handing Eric a mug and looking into his eyes.

"Thanks." Eric said taking the mug in his hands. He put the picture back on the mantle. "The coffee at the motel was horrible." Eric said, before taking a long slow sip of the hot coffee. "I figured as much." Calleigh said, her smile slowly fading. Eric and Calleigh both settled down on the couch leaving a small space in between them.

"Eric," Calleigh asked slowly "back at the motel what did you mean when you said that you couldn't bear to lose me _again_?" Eric looked at her out of the corner of his eye and took a deep breath. He knew what he wanted to say, but he just wasn't sure how to say it. He was relieved when he heard his cell phone ringing inside his pocket.

He looked at the name on the CallerID. It was his sister, Sophia. Last time he had seen his sister was at Thanksgiving. She and her husband Todd had driven down to his mom's house in Miami with their four year-old daughter Emily. Since then they had moved to Miami when Todd's job relocated him there.

"Hey, Sophia, what's up?" Eric said. "Not much. I know its short notice, but Todd and I have his company's Christmas Party tonight, and the baby-sitter canceled on us at the last minute and we were really excited about going." She said rambling on nervously.

"Sophia, relax its fine. What time are you guys leaving?" He asked with a smirk. "Six o'clock." She said relaxing her tone. "Ok. I'll be there in a little bit." He said looking down at his watch. It was almost five o' clock. He looked at Calleigh out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, do you mind if I bring my friend along? It'll give Emily someone else to play with." Eric said running his hand over his head. "Sure." Sophia said cheerfully. "See you soon. Love you. Bye"

Eric smiled closing his phone. "That was my sister, Sophia. She and her husband have plans tonight and the babysitter canceled on them at the last minute. We should head out soon. Their only a half hour away, but they are always ready early and my sister has a lot of new people to meet." Eric said sliding his phone in his pocket as he went to stand up.

"_We!_" Calleigh asked surprised. "Oh." Eric said softly "Sorry. I should have asked if you had plans tonight. I'll call Sophia back. " Eric said reaching towards his pocket again.

Calleigh reached out and put her hand on top of his before he could get to his phone. He looked down at Calleigh. "No. It's ok. I was just planning on staying in tonight anyway. Maybe watch some TV, or a movie." Calleigh said smiling. "So how old is Emily?" Calleigh asked as Eric sat back down next to her. "She's four going on fourteen." He said with a laugh. "She's just like her mother, energetic and full of life. Your really gonna like her."

"Well we should get ready to head out, if we want to avoid traffic." Eric said standing up and making his way towards the bathroom as Calleigh made her way into her bedroom to change into something more comfortable.

I know it took a sudden twist, but I have a really good idea for will happen next, which will really flow nicely (I hope) into my pre planned ending.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	4. Babysitting

Chapter 4

A half hour later Calleigh and Eric pulled into the driveway and walked side-by-side to the front door. Eric smiled when his sister opened the door and invited them inside.

Calleigh could definitely see the family resemblance. She was a tall woman about five foot seven, with the same complexion, smile and eyes as Eric.

"Hi!" Sophia said giving Eric a hug "Thanks for helping on such short notice." She said releasing Eric from her grasp.

"No problem. Sophia, this is Calleigh." He said gesturing towards her. "It's so nice to finally meet you. Eric has told me so much about you." Sophia said shaking Calleigh's hand.

Before Calleigh could formulate a response or turn her gaze to Eric a small, energetic, tan skinned, dark haired girl, ran towards Eric from what seemed like nowhere. "Uncle Eric! You're here! Mommy told me you were coming." She said ecstatically, running full steam into his open arms.

"Emily!" Eric exclaimed picking up the child and playfully lifting her up high above his head causing the child to squeal with excitement. Eric held her in his arms so that she was eye-level with him, he held her close on his hip.

"Is this your friend?" Emily asked looking at Calleigh. "Yes. Emily this is Calleigh." Eric replied with a smile.

Emily leaned in close to Eric and cupped her hands around his ear, so that only he could hear her. "She's pretty." She tried to whisper. "I know." Eric replied looking straight at Emily, before catching a glimpse of Calleigh's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Calleigh had never seen this side of Eric before. She liked seeing this side of him. She could get used to it.

Calleigh was brought back to reality by the sound of Sophia's voice. "Well, we should be going." Sophia said glancing down at her watch. "I'm ready Todd." She said loudly turning away from Calleigh briefly.

"I'm coming." Todd said walking into the living room straightening his tie. "Hi. I'm Todd. You must be Calleigh." He said shaking Calleigh's hand before quickly kissing his wife on the cheek. "Shall We?" He asked guiding her towards the door.

"Oh. Eric, dinner is in the refrigerator and Emily goes to bed around eight-thirty, but she may fall asleep before then. You and Calleigh can help yourselves to something as well." She said kissing Emily on the cheek, then Eric. "Thanks again Eric. See you around eleven." She said as she waked out the door. "Your welcome" He said closing the door behind her.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	5. Reading

Chapter 5

Eric crouched down placing Emily on the ground in front of him. "Emily. What do you say you go show Calleigh your room and all your cool toys while I fix us something to eat? " He said with a smile. "Ok." She said running off towards her room.

"It's the second room on the left." Eric said laughing, as he walked into the kitchen. Calleigh walked down the hall and into Emily's room.

"Can you read this to me? It's my favorite!" Emily asked handing Calleigh a book as she walked into the room.

"Ok." Calleigh said taking the book in her hands and walking towards Emily's bed.

Calleigh sat down with Emily on the edge of her bed and began to read. A few minutes later Emily spoke up. "My Uncle Eric really likes you." Emily said out of the blue.

Calleigh looked at Emily "Really?" She said surprised, and intrigued. "How do you know?" She asked.

"He told me." She said.

"You know what?" Calleigh asked, smiling. "I really like him to." She said smiling, and then continued with the book.

Meanwhile, Eric had found Emily's dinner in the refrigerator. He pulled out the fish strips and put enough in the oven for the three of them. About fifteen minutes later he pulled the fish out of the oven, and set the table.

Eric walked down the hall towards Emily room. He stopped in the doorway smiling when he saw Emily sitting on Calleigh's lap reading a book together.

Eric had never seen this side of Calleigh before. He knew how caring she was. He had experienced it firsthand after he was shot.

He knew she must be good with kids. She had been putting up with him for ten years. It made him smile seeing her this way with his niece.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	6. Cleaning Up

Chapter 6

After dinner Eric and Calleigh begin to clear the table.

"Emily, why don't you go into the living room and pick out a movie for us to watch before you go to bed?" Eric said picking up her plate off of the table.

"Ok." She said sliding off of her chair and running into the living room.

"She's so adorable." Calleigh said rinsing a plate off before putting it in the dishwasher.

"Yeah. She really likes you." Eric replied glancing over at Calleigh. Calleigh remembered what Emily had said earlier. She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.

"Do you ever think about having kids someday?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, someday." Calleigh said with a smile, without looking up.

"Somehow I just can't picture Jake Berkley with kids." Eric said with a chuckle.

"Jake?" Calleigh asked looking up at Eric. His comment caught her off guard. She hadn't seen Jake in months. It hadn't occurred to her that Eric didn't know that they weren't together.

"What? You can?" Eric asked, surprised by Calleigh's reaction.

"No. It's just that Jake and I aren't together anymore. I haven't seen him in months." She said finally looking up from the plate she was washing.

"Oh." Eric said sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought him up."

"It's ok. We probably would have broken up sooner or later, even if he hadn't gone back undercover."

Eric couldn't believe that Jake had chosen his job and his own personal safety over Calleigh. It made him mad to think of anybody doing that to Calleigh. He would never do that to her.

"You'll find someone else." Eric said trying to smile. "Yeah, I will." Calleigh said. She looked up at Eric with a smile, her emerald green eyes sparkled.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	7. Bedtime

Chapter 7

Eric, Calleigh and Emily settled down on the couch to watch Emily's favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. By the end of the movie Emily was fast asleep between Calleigh and Eric.

Eric shut off the TV and carried Emily into her room and tucked her into bed with a kiss. Calleigh stood in the doorway watching Eric with Emily. Eric smiled when he saw Calleigh standing in the doorway.

"You're gonna make a great dad someday." Calleigh whispered in Eric ear as he reached the door.

Calleigh cradled Eric cheek in her hand and leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Eric smiled as they pulled apart. He took her hand in his, their fingers intertwined as they walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch, and turned on the TV.

It was only eight o'clock. Sophia and Todd wouldn't be back for a few hours. They watched the news, and flipped through the channels for a while before Eric turned the TV off around nine-thirty.

"Eric. What did you mean when you said that you couldn't bear to lose me _again_? " Calleigh asked, looking up at Eric.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask me that again." He said running his fingers through his hair. "It's nothing." Eric said with a sigh.

"Eric, don't say that its nothing. I can tell by the look in your eyes that it's definitely something." She said firmly, before changing her tone. "Tell me. You can talk to me." She said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I know." He said looking at her forcing a smile. "Does it have to do with Jake? 'Cause like I said earlier, we're over." She said.

"It's that and other things." He said with a sigh.

"What?" Calleigh asked in that same tone turning to face him, now sitting cross-legged. She rested a hand on his thigh.

Eric straightened up looking into Calleigh's eyes. "When you were kidnapped, I was so scared that I was going to lose you forever. I mean, I don't know what I'd do if I had lost you that day."

He said putting a hand on her cheek. "Then there's the whole thing with Jake." Calleigh could see tears beginning to well up in Eric's eyes.

"But you didn't lose me." She said softly, taking his face in her hands. "You will never lose me. 'Cause I'll never leave you. I promise. " She paused resting her hands at the base of his neck. " 'Cause I don't leave the people I love."

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	8. Love

Chapter 8

Exactly what happened next neither one could say for sure. Calleigh would say that Eric made the first move, and kissed her. Although, Eric would say it was Calleigh that had kissed him.

Either way, it really didn't matter. All that did matter was that it happened. Finally. It had taken a while, to say the least, but it had finally happened. They were both on cloud nine.

When the need for oxygen became clear for both of them they pulled apart slowly, their fingers intertwined with one another in between them. Without taking their eyes off of each other, they both smiled bigger smiles than they had in a long time.

Calleigh reached to brush a strand of her platinum blond hair from her face but before she could she could she felt the soft brush of Eric fingertips reach up and tuck the strand behind her ear.

"I love you, Eric." Calleigh whispered leaning into him, kissing him softly, again. Just like the first, it was a soft kiss but it was filled with more love and passion than he had felt from any woman he had ever been with. A moment later, Eric pulled back, still smiling. "I love you too, Calleigh." Calleigh smiled.

She turned her shoulder leaning her back up against Eric's chest releasing their hands for a second. She rested her head in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her their fingers intertwined once again. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, just enjoying each others presence, and touch.

Soon they were both fast asleep. Eric was awoken a few hours later by his sister's gentle hand on his shoulder.

He stood up, being careful as to not wake up Calleigh as she slept peacefully next to him. He gently carried a still sleeping Calleigh out to her car and placed her in the passenger seat.

He drove them back to her house, carried Calleigh from the car and tucked her into bed with a kiss. Soon he settled down on the couch for the night.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	9. The Next Morning

I originally planned on this story being at most eight chapters. However, as I was finishing the last chapter I got a wickedly funny idea for a chapter (actually a few chapters) that I could add to the end of the story to make it even better. Honestly tell me what you think. This was kind of last minute but I was laughing the whole time I was writing it.

Chapter 9

The next morning Eric woke up to an empty condo. He had forgotten to set the alarm on his cell phone.

It was almost eight o'clock. He smiled when he saw a note that Calleigh had left for him on the kitchen table:

_Good Morning, my sleeping prince,_

_I though that after the day you had yesterday, you deserved to sleep in and get some rest. I left some coffee in the pot on the counter for you, and there is cereal and instant oatmeal in the cupboard. I told H that you had some errands to do and that you'd be running a little late. I'll see you at work. I love you._

_Love,_

_Calleigh_

Eric smiled and began getting ready for work. Forty-five minutes later he pulled into the parking at the lab. He walked in and was almost instantly met by Ryan walking down the hall towards him.

"Morning, Eric. How did things go at the motel last night?" Ryan asked.

"Actually," Eric replied with a smile. "I umm…stayed with a friend last night. She's letting me stay with her till this whole mess is over." Eric said trying (and failing miserably) to keep from smiling even more.

"Do I know her?" Ryan asked with a grin.

"What?" Eric replied wide-eyed realizing what he had said.

"You said she?" Ryan replied, smiling.

"Whatever." Eric said as he walked past Ryan and towards the locker room.

Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! The more reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter.


	10. Subtle Confirmation

Chapter 10

Ryan walked into the ballistics lab to ask Calleigh if she had finished running tests on the bullet that had killed the most recent victim in a case that they were currently involved with.

Actually, that was only part of what Ryan was thinking about asking Calleigh. He wanted to know if Calleigh new where Eric was staying, and with whom. He knew that if there was anyone Eric would confide in it would be Calleigh.

He also knew that there was something going on between them, whether they would admit it or not. They obviously had feeling for each other that extended beyond friendship, even partnership.

He had seen how terrified Calleigh had been when Eric got shot two years back and how angry, and scared Eric had been when Calleigh was kidnapped the year before. He had seen the looks they exchanged on a regular basis.

Even if it wasn't obvious to either one of them it was painfully obvious to him (and pretty much everyone else there) that they really cared about each other.

"Morning, Calleigh." Ryan said as he walked up to Calleigh who had her eyes focused on the bullet under the microscope. "I got those results for you." She said handing him a manila folder. "Thanks." He said flipping through the contents of the file.

"Hey." He said closing the folder and looking up. "Did you get a chance to talk to Eric yesterday?" He asked smiling.

"Yeah. He's fine." She said with a smile.

"Did you know that he's not staying at the motel anymore? He's staying with a friend."

Calleigh looked back down at her notes "I know."

Ryan smiled looking down at the folder. "It's a she." He said glancing up, hoping to get some sort of reaction. "Do you know who?" He asked curiously.

"Nope" She lied, her smile widened, and Ryan swore he saw her blush.

"Because" Ryan said "as far as I know, he doesn't have a girlfriend, and you are the only other female friend he has beside Natalia, and even though they're friends, given their past, I doubt he'd stay with her." Ryan said, with a laugh.

"Ryan what does or does not happen between Eric and I, is between Eric and I." She said writing something down on her notepad. "Ok." He said giving up and began walking towards the door.

"Plus. What would it matter if he were staying with me, we're just friends." She said somewhat to herself, although Ryan had heard her loud and clear.

"Just friends, Yeah right!?" He said rolling his eyes, as he stopped in the doorway.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She said defensively, a small smile crept across her face.

"Since my first day here, I knew you two had a thing for each other. It was obvious, or so I thought. You know, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if something did end up happening between the two of you after all these years." Ryan said with a smile.

"Whatever." Calleigh said, returning to the bullet under the microscope, still completely shocked by what Ryan had just said, even though it was true.

"Well. I should get back to work" Ryan said turning and walking towards the door.

Calleigh looked up and sighed as she heard the door close; knowing Ryan was now on the other side.

"Finally!" He whispered to himself with a smile one the door had closed behind him.

THE END

So, what did you think? Comments, reviews, and criticisms welcome. Please R&R. Thanks! I am in the process of writing a short possibly three-shot story for New Years, featuring my two favorite CSI's, so stay tuned. Will up load chapter 1 ASAP.


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